Fort Worth Pastor Takes New Job After Gay Debate
The Rev. Brett Younger, the embattled pastor of the Fort Worth, Texas, church that debated how to picture gay members in its photo directory, has accepted a new job. Younger, pastor of Broadway Baptist Church, will join the faculty of Mercer University's McAfee School of Theology in Atlanta as an associate professor of preaching.
While "delighted" to join that faculty, Younger said in a statement: "I'm also sad at leaving Broadway. The church has taught me so much about following Christ, and it is one of my hopes in this new ministry I can teach young people to lead their congregations to be as faithful as Broadway has been."
The church opted not to feature gay members in any family photos but also took a vote about whether Younger should remain pastor. The March vote to retain him was 499 to 237, but The Dallas Morning News reported that opponents issued a statement after the vote that declared, "300 members have or want to leave because of the turmoil."
posted by AMB at
2:58 PM
1 Comments:
There was no way he could continue, even after winning the vote to vacate the pulpit. People are leaving in large numbers, pledges for the new budget are only at 54%, and last week the offering was less than half of what is needed just to keep the doors open.
The controversy was primarily over Brett Younger's passive/aggressive leadership and his asking several prominent members to leave when they opposed anything he proposed.
The congregation has lost almost half its membership during his 7 years as pastor.
4/19/2008 03:34:00 PM
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